title: Bone marrow stem cells in facial nerve regeneration from isolated stumps.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe lesions in the facial nerve may have extensive axonal loss and leave isolated stumps that impose technical difficulties for nerve grafting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) in a silicone conduit for rat facial nerve regeneration from isolated stumps. Group A utilized empty silicone tubes; in groups B-D, the tube was filled with acellular gel; and, in groups C and D, undifferentiated BMSC (uBMSC) or Schwann-like cells differentiated from BMSC (dBMSC) were added, respectively. Compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were measured, and histology was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Groups C and D had the highest CMAP amplitudes. Group C had shorter CMAP durations than groups A, B, and D. Distal axonal number and density were increased in group C compared with groups A and B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regeneration of the facial nerve was improved by both uBMSC and dBMSC in rats, yet uBMSC was associated with superior functional results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of São Paulo Medical School, Avenida Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 155-6° andar, Bloco 6, CEP 05403-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salomone
authors.forename: Ricardo F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bento
authors.forename: Heloisa J Z R
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Azzi-Nogueira
authors.forename: Patrícia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ovando
authors.forename: Ciro F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Da-Silva
authors.forename: Daniela B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Zanatta
authors.forename: Bryan E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Luciana A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004576:Electromyography; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000166:cytology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D050816:Octamer Transcription Factor-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D009418:S100 Proteins; D050816:Octamer Transcription Factor-6; D001616:beta-Galactosidase
keywords: Schwann cells; electromyography; facial nerve; nerve conduction; nerve regeneration; stem cells